After a week off, Michigan (8-1-0) is back in action. The last time we saw the Wolverines, the boys came through with a win in one of the most exciting games of the season, 5-4 in overtime over rival Ohio State. The victory prevented a sweep after dropping their first game of the season, and now the team looks to get its swagger back against a struggling Penn State (2-7-1) squad this weekend.
Through nine games, Michigan’s offense is Michigan’s offense. The Wolverines lead the nation in scoring with
more than five goals per game and have two players averaging more than two points per game. Michael Hage (4G, 16A) leads the nation in points and assists, and is coming off one of the best shifts you’ll see in college hockey when he set up the game-winner over the Buckeyes.
Just behind Hage, Jayden Perron (10G, 9A) is the nation’s leader in goals and is second in points. His dynamic skating has helped create space in the offensive zone and pairs nicely alongside Hage on the top line. However, these two have struggled to find a third to round out their trio.
Junior winger Will Horcoff (3G, 5A) was the presumptive choice, but he has struggled to find his footing so far this season. After making national headlines for his last-second goal against Western Michigan, Horcoff was demoted to the second line on night one against Ohio State and the fourth line on night two. This is a player who scored 25 goals and 39 points last season. Head coach Brandon Naurato experimented with Nick Moldenhauer (1G, 9A) and Adam Valentini (2G, 1A), but don’t discount Malcom Spence (6G, 4A) from getting a look this weekend as well.
Defensively, Michigan’s blue line is the most dangerous in college hockey in the offensive zone, but has allowed far too many odd-man rushes and breakaways compared to last year. The Wolverines are still third in the Big Ten in scoring defense and No. 20 nationally, but with the depth of Landon DuPont, Drew Schock, Cam Reid, Asher Barnett, Ben Robertson, Dakoda Rhéaume-mullen and Henry Mews, this group is vastly too talented to allow this many leaks.
Fortunately, Jack Ivankovic (.921) has largely been up to the task. Although he’s coming off a down series by his lofty standards, Ivankovic remains one of the best netminders in the country. Fresh off the bye, look for him to reassert his dominance against Penn State’s middling offense.
Penn State
The Nittany Lions enter this weekend as a frustrated team. Penn State opened the season on a four-game losing streak and has now, again, lost or tied four in a row. Penn State is winless in conference play, and the only team it has beaten in regulation is Canisius. However, the Nittany Lions will likely keep things close — four of their 10 games have gone to extra time, and with a few wins this weekend, theyu could spark a turnaround before the winter break.
Offensively, Penn State is led by a pair of 13-point scorers in defenseman Jackson Smith (3G, 10A) and forward Justin Poirier (5G, 8A). Third-leading scorer, Justin Larose (2G, 5A), was originally a Michigan commit — before Michigan admissions, as admissions does, got in the way — and brings a nastiness on the forecheck. Up front, this team is talented and will look to take advantage of fast breaks and rushes to turn this into a track meet.
That’s because they own one of the worst defenses in the country. The Nittany Lions rank No. 51 in scoring defense (out of 62 teams) and second-worst in the Big Ten only ahead of Notre Dame, which actually swept Penn State last week. In six games this year, Penn State has allowed four goals or more, including allowing five goals to Robert Morris, one of the eight worst offenses in college hockey.
Between the pipes, Penn State has been rotating between Joshua Fleming (.904) and Ryder Fetterolf (.892). Fleming was a .924 goalie last year — one of the best in the Big Ten — but has regressed with the defense in front of him. Fetterolf is a true freshman still finding his way amidst the battlefield chaos. Michigan should expect to see both this weekend.
Key to the Game
Let 5-on-5 decide it. Despite all Penn State’s flaws, this team is No. 22 on the penalty kill and No. 19 on the power play. Both marks are better than Michigan’s, as the Wolverines’ special teams have consistently been somewhere between okay and maddening so far this season. This series is a good opportunity to work out some kinks, but the fate of the game needs to be decided at even strength. When even, Michigan should run this team off the ice. But if penalties disrupt the flow of the game and keep the door open for the Nittany Lions, the Wolverines could be vulnerable.
Game 1
- When: Friday, Nov. 13, 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Yost Ice Arena | Ann Arbor, MI
- How to watch: BIG+
- How to listen: Varsity Podcast Network
Game 2
- When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Yost Ice Arena | Ann Arbor, MI
- How to watch: BIG+
- How to listen: Varsity Podcast Network
